The13th AÑO: 4
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NÚMERO 36
UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA
RONNY MOORINGS THE ALBUM SOUNDS LIKE A JOB WITHOUT A TIME
[ Interview With Ronny Moorings by Patricia Claudia Fiori. Fotography: Nazarena Talice Translation: Rodrigo Debernardis ]
THE ALBUM SOUNDS LIKE A JOB WITHOUT A TIME On the occasion of the release of the new work of the Xymox: "DAYS OF BLACK" released under Metropolis Records and Trisol, we are surprised again after their last album "Matters of Mind, body and soul" (2014). After more than three decades, the creators of the darkwave, once again invited us to cross dark and deep passages and caverns with their new production. The Dutch band from its creation has gone through different formations, being its main frontman and creator, Ronny Moorings, who remains to our delight since the dawn. Exactly one year after the last visit of Clan Of Xymox to Buenos Aires, Argentina (Uniclub), where the Xymox have so many followers, we want to thank the kindness and honor that Ronny Moorings gives us this interview for Revista The 13th. After several listenings at the advance of Xymox new release "Days Of Black", I had the perception along of the 12 tracks of the album, that there are characteristics of every album of the band, like some kind of perfect synthesis of your long career of over three decades, with the essence and the atmosphere that characterizes you. Is this your vision of "Days Of Black"? I hope so. The writing process is never a deliberate attempt to write in a certain style. It just happens. The mix for me is important, the balance between guitar and keyboards. That always has been the case. In any case the listener for me is at the end the better judge. To me personally the album sounds like a timeless piece of work. The ultimate hope is always that an album will survive the test of time. We’ll see. ¿How comes the idea of a new release? A band needs to have new music out once and a while. I write because I feel the need to write music
and lyrics. The album is most of the time a collection of works for over a period of time. In this case 3 years. The first track was “Loneliness”. That set the mood for the tracks following after this one. I did not have a concept other than I did not want any current influences in the tracks and just what lies deep within me. The blue print or idea if you like is that with Clan Of Xymox the balance between the use of keyboards and guitars / bass could go either way, combined or focused more or less. That gives you a great liberty in song writing and I don’t feel so restricted to one approach. This album is indeed a perfect balance to me. It fits perfectly with previous albums in its purest form (and the entire back catalogue for that matter). Which particularities can we find on it? The lyrics are as almost always close to my personal experiences from in the past or current. It is the way I feel the most close to a track and the general feel. The track “I couldn’t save you “ is a retrospect about my father who passed away 2 years ago. I never express my feelings about it in words until it came out into a song. The writing process never changed with me: I mostly start with the music so the lyrics almost come by itself as the track progresses. “La La Land “ is almost an instrumental outro of the album. The voice is from my daughter Lilly who was in the studio one time and I let her do whatever she wanted into the microphone. She is 5 years old so it is impossible to give a five year old a script anyway. To me it is a very special track just because of this reason and a perfect ending with “Now we all go to bed” “Goodbye everyone” The title has nothing to do with the current movie “La La Land”. The title I chose because Lilly sang “la-
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lalala”, so a perfect title was a given. On "Days Of Black" how you experimented with new sounds that you havent on past records? I always use some instruments I haven’t before, choosing sounds which appeal to me. Sometimes a single sound can be an inspiration for a track, like with “Leave Me Be” on which I reversed my guitar sound and became the hook for the song. How can you define lyrically and musically this album in comparison with your previous records? A further continuation in the evolution of Clan Of Xymox. Edited by Metropolis Records and Trisol, how was the recording process? I have my own studio, named “The Torture Chamber”. Most musicians will know what I mean with that name. I only work when I feel inspired or simply when I have time. Luckily it is not like the olden days anymore that you have to book a studio and record the album in a certain limited time. These
tracks I wrote in a time span of 3 years. We toured a lot, the most we ever did. So I needed also to plan times of non touring in so I could concentrate on writing. The final stages always take the most time for me: mixing. It is a very intensive process and you get at that stage the most doubtful about positions of instruments, panning, treating vocals and use of instruments and sounds. It has to sound right on all sorts of sound systems, so it is very intensive to the ear. When all is finally delivered to the mastering engineer it is the final check and the end of the whole process. I am very happy with the result, it sounds like one recording session, so to me it is mission accomplished. In which formats will be edited? CD and later Vinyl. Are you keeping the same band formation of "Matters of mind, body and soul"? Yes. On the creative process of this album what came
first ? the lyrics? the music? I almost always start with the music and this sets the mood for the lyrics. From there I work out both again. How can you define your feelings after put together and edit an artistic work, in this case, "Days Of Black"? I am very happy with the result of the album. For me the period is finished and I am concentrating on playing songs of this album live, so to get the direct feedback of the audience on the new tracks. That is the ultimate test. In retrospective with the Xymox big catalogue, how do you see the band today, with this new release? If you would have told me that in 2017 I would have released so many albums I would declare you insane. I never expected I would have a band for such a long period. It proves how time flies when you are in a band. I still feel I have to build our band into something fantastic. That drive has never gone away. I really wonder when the time comes that I say it is enough. Knowing myself a bit I think that is never. I always feel the need to create music. It is almost that I need my own sound track of my life.
On this 2017, Clan Of Xymox has an extensive world tour. Could be Buenos Aires a destiny for you to come and present the new album next year? We just played BA in 2016. That was part of a South American Tour. Of course I wouldn’t say no to a next show in Buenos Aires. By the way, what do you think of the audience in Argentina? The people are very passionate about music and make us certainly feel very loved when we play there. Ronny, we want to share with you our joy for the birth of " Days Of Black" , thank you again for your kindness with this interview in the middle of the tour and we really hope to have the Xymox soon again in Argentina with your black/dark days, which for us will become pleasant with a new visit. Hopefully, best wishes. Ronny
Here we left the link to the new video "Loneliness": https://youtu.be/wBvCWPbA8UA
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The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA